The Episcopal Church in the United States

Our Episcopal Church in the United States is a direct outgrowth of the Church of England. A common misconception of how the Church of England began centers on Henry VIII wanting a divorce, but there were more complex issues going on in the 16th century than Henry's marital problems which included his need for a male heir. Some of them political, and some theological. Henry wanted his people's undivided loyalty and had other uses for the English money which supported the Catholic Church in Rome. Henry broke from Rome and England suffered as Catholics and Protestants battled for control of the church and the government which the Protestants eventually won. His only child was his daughter Queen Elizabeth I who devised religious and political arrangements that left the English church with both Roman Catholic and Protestant characteristics. Walking this middle line between the traditions makes us a sacramental church that promotes thoughtful debate about what God is and is calling us to do and be as followers of Christ.

The first notation of the Episcopal Church in North America, occurs when Sir Francis Drake read from the Book of Common Prayer in 1579 after landing near what is now San Francisco while circumnavigating the world. The first congregation of the Church of England was established in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. From Virginia, the church spread across the American colonies. By 1775 there were about 300 independent congregations throughout the colonies.

The Episcopal church formally separated from the Church of England in 1789 so the church would not have to accept the supremacy of the British monarch, the monarch being the head of the church in England (not the Archbishop of Canterbury). The first Episcopal bishop outside the British Isles was originally consecrated in Scotland and moved to the United States. The American bishops, thus descend in apostolic succession through the non-jurying Bishop of Scotland and the nine crosses which symbolize ECUSA's nine original dioceses in it form a St. Andrew's cross (St Andrew being the patron saint of Scotland) commemorating the Scottish link.